Tobacco-cutting machine



(No Model.)

. J 8 Sheets-Sheet 3. N. DU BRUL.

TOBACCO GUTTING MAGHINE.

atented May 19, 1896.

I \H WWW & b WITNESSES: INVENTOH v 4 f l 4 non/m3,

(No Model.)

Mk/MW 8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

N. DU BRUL. TOBAGGO cu'r'rnwv MACHINE.

Patented May 19, I896.

(No Model.) s sheets-Sheet 5.

I N. DU BRUL. I

TOBACCO CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 560,483. Patented May 19, 1896.

AN DREW HGRMIANL PHUTO-LITHQWASHINGTON, D.C

8 Sheets-Sheet 6. DU BRUL. TOBACCO CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 560,483. Patented May 19,1396.

llnl llllllllll l III I PiIOTD'l-ITHQWASHINGTONJQ (No Model.) 8Sheets-Sheet 7,

4 N. DU BRUL. TOBAGGO CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 560,483. 4 Patented May v19, 1896.

AN uREW EGRAHAM. PHOTO-LUNG WASmN GTON. D c

(No Model.) s Sheefis-Sheet s.

N. DU BRUL.

TOBAQUO CUTTING MAG-HINE. No. 560,483. Patented May 19, 1896.

UNITED STATES all PATENT OFFICE.

TOBACCO-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,483, dated May 19,1896. Application filed March 22,1895. Serial No. 542,817. (No modelo'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON DU BRUL, a citizen of the United States,and aresident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TobaccoCutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed to provide a machine for cutting tobacco-leavesinto scrap adapted to be used for smoking, chewing, and also forcigar-fillers.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved andmore-rapidly-cutting machine than has heretofore been produced.

Another object of my invention is to provide the machine with cuttingmechanism which will evenly feed and deliver the leaftobacco to theknives.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for carrying thereduced tobacco into a grading-machine,where the diiferent grades oftobacco are assorted and the coarser produce delivered out of the tailof the reel,

where it can be passed over again through the machine, if desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hood for the cutter-headof the machine having an opening from which the knives can be readilyremoved for sharpening and through which they can be replaced.

The construction of the machine herein described is such that only oneoperator is required to run it.

The novel features of my invention will be fully set. forth in thedescription of the machine shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a front perspective view of my improved tobacco-cuttingmachine. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4is a front elevation. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on theline 0c 00, Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation. Fig. 7 is an endelevation, the end door being omitted. Fig. 8 is a detail view of thecutting: rolls and driving-gear. Fig. 9 is a side view of one of thecollars interposed between the disk knives of the lower cutting-roll.Fig. 10 is a side View of one of the disk knives. Fig. 11 is a view ofthe reverse side of one of the disk knives and its collar affixed to theshaft. Fig. 12 is a detail side view of the worm-gear and clutch. Fig.13 is a detail 5 5 perspective view of one member of the clutch. Fig. 14is a central vertical transverse section through the hopper. Fig. 15 isa plan view of an adjustable belt-pulley.

A represents the legs of the base-frame A of the machine. Surmountingand secured to the base-frame is a detachable bracket B, which forms asupport for a hopper D. I a a are semicircular housings or covers forthe base-frame, forming in connection with the latter a chamber for agrading-cylinder hereinafter described. The sides of a portion of thegrading-chamber are closed by doors 5, hanging pendent from the rods 1),and thus provide access to a portion of the grading-chamber. Beneath thehopper is an endless apron or belt 6, on which the tobacco is depositedfor tr'ansferto the cutters. This apron or belt is supported on rollersE E. The outer roller E is j ournaled in the forks or arms d of a yokecl, which is provided with a. screw-rod d,extendin g through the bracketB.

d is a nut working on the screw-rod and bearing against the bracket forregulating the tension of the endless apron or belt.

The cutters comprise a grooved upper roll M and a lower roll N, having aseries of disk knives N for performing the first operation in cutting.In order to deliver the tobacco to the cutting-rolls, Iprovide apressure-roller G, which Works as an idler coacting with an apron-rollerE. This pressure-roller is arranged above the belt to deliver thetobacco to the cutting-rolls. The pressure-roller is loosely supportedby its journals g in the standards 9 so that the roller may rise andfall in its bearings according to the amount of tobacco carried forwardby the endless apron, and it serves the function of compressing theleaves of the tobacco together upon the endless apron and properlydelivering them to the cutting-rolls.

H is the main driving-shaft, journaled in boxes P, located on theframe-piece P, supported on the base-frame of the machine.

\ 1 is a pulley loosely mounted on the driving-shaft, and 2 is a fixedpulley keyed to the driving-shaft.

3 is a worm-sleeve surrounding and connected with the shaft by means ofa clutch I. The worm transmits motion to a worm-wheel 4, loosely mountedupon the shaft K of the upper roll M.

5 is a gear-wheel loosely mounted on the shaft K and connected with theworm-wheel for transmitting motion to a gear-wheel 6, located beneathand keyed to one end of a countenshaft L, which carries the cutter-rollbearing the disk-knives.

7 is a gear-wheel located on the opposite end of the counter-shaft L,transmitting motion to a gear-wheel 8, located on the shaft K of thegrooved upper roll M. The wormwheel at has clutch connection with thesleeve of the gear-wheel 5; but these two wheels revolve loosely on theshaft K and only transmit motion to the gear-wheel 6, counter-shaft L,and gear-wheels 7 and 8 to the opposite end of the shaft K, whichcarries the grooved upper roll M. The series of disk knives N, mountedon the shaft L, are separated from each other by means of collars i. Thedisk knives are formed with segmental openings Z, which fit upon theflattened shaft to hold the knives in position. The grooves of the upperroll M are of bevel shape and the cutting edges of the disk knives arebeveled, so as to coact with the grooves in the upper roll, thusinsuring a clean cut through the leaves of the tobacco.

9 is a gear-wheel keyed to the roll-shaft K and meshing with thegear-wheel 10, which is keyed to the apron-roller E, and thus drives theendless apron or belt 6.

O is a housing or hood secured to the end of the machine and projectingtoward the rear side of the machine. Vithin this housing or hood islocated the transverse or rotary cutter-head. This head is keyed uponthe main driving-shaft H and is composed of a fly-wheel, having radialarms 0, a rim 0', and knife-supports R cast integral therewith. Theknife-supports are inclined with relation to the plane of the fly-wheeland extend transversely of the arms from the arms to the rim and form arigid support for the knives S, which are secured to the knifesupportsby screws 0*. These knives are set so as to make a draw out, thuslessening the wear and tear of the machine. The housing or hood has anopening 8 on the inner side of its rearwardlyextending portion, throughwhich the knives are removed for sharpening and through which they arereplaced. The opening is closed by a shutter s. The fly-wheel beingdriven, the knives by their arrangement thereon cut transversely acrossthe tobacco, which is advanced between the cutting-rolls over the tableT, which forms the bottom of the spout 15, leading from the rolls to thetransverse cutter-head. 7a is a bridge between the endless apron and thedisk knives.

The knives S are secured to the knife-blocks at an angle inclined to thetable, so as to clear themselves quickly. The bottom 0 of the housing isinclined and communicates with the grading-reel Q. The reel is providedwith any desired number of grading-screens 7t 7t 7L2, through which thegraded material drops into the compartments beneath. The reel issupported upon the shaft U. The dust or finer portion of the reducedtobacco is sifted out by the first grading-screen h into a compartment1'. The second grading-screen allows the next size larger to escape,andit is dropped into a separate compartment Z. Additional grades andcompartments may be provided as desired.

f represents an opening provided for removing the dust from the frontend of the grading-reel compartment. The doors I) afford access to theremaining portion of the compartments beneath the reel.

' The operation of the machine is as follows: Tobacco is thrown into thehopper and the opera-tor distributes it over the endless apron c,

which carries the tobacco forward to the idlerroller G, delivering it tothe cutting-rolls M N just beyond the bridge 71?. The tobacco is cutlengthwise of the machine as it passes between the eutter-rolls MN andis forced forward to the table T, where it is presented to the action ofthe transverse cutters S. As the tobacco is cut in two transversely itdrops down onto the inclined bottom of the housing and from this placepasses into the reel, as before described. This reel, it will beobserved, is conical or tapering, increasing from the point where thetobacco is received rearward to the tail, where the coarser tobacco isdelivered. This conical form enables the tobacco to pass readily forwardand out of the reel. The shaft, being horizontal, thus forms a compactmachine with a positive delivery. The inclination and the enlargement ofthe reel materially assist the free delivery of the tobacco and providea larger screening or sifting capacity, as well as increased centrifugalaction upon the tobacco revolved within the screen. I thus provide aclose, compact, lengthwise and transverse cutting device and agrading-machine which can be operated by a single attendant with easeand rapidity. It will be observed also that the transversecutting-knives are support-ed upon a main drivin g-shaft which employsthe worm-gear. This Wormgear consequently holds the knives firmly up totheir line of work.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A tobacco-cutting machine comprising a fly-wheel having radial arms,and a rim, a knife-support extending from one side of a radial arm tothe rim, and having its surface inclined with relation to the plane ofthe flywheel, and a knife secured to the knife-support and adapted tocut obliquely and shearwise to the table, the housing for the fly-wheelhaving an inclined bottom, the upper cutterroll, the lower cutter-rollthe spout having a bottom providing a table between the cutterrolls andthe fly-wheel, the casing, and the sifter within the casing andconnected with the inclined bottom of the housing; substantially asdescribed.

2. A tobacco-cutting machine comprising an upper cutter-roll H, having ashaft K, the main shaft H, the Worm-sleeve 3 located on the main shaft,a lower cutter-roll N, having a counter-shaft L, and a series of diskknives N, the Worm-wheel land gear-wheel 5 loosely mounted on the shaftof the upper cutter-roll, the gear-wheels 6 and 7 fixed on thecountershaft and the gear-wheel 8 fixed to the shaft of the upper cutterroll; substantially as specified.

A tobacco-cutting machine comprising a feeding apparatus consisting ofan endless apron, driving-rollers on which the apron is mounted and anidler-roller G coacting with the endless apron, the cutter-rolls, thebridge between the apron and the cutter-rolls, the spout, the fly-wheelhaving knives arranged to cut obliquely and shearwise across the spout,the housing and a sifter connected with the housing; substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

, NAPOLEON DU BRUL. Witnesses:

WILL R. WOOD, A. F. WENZEL.

